Door handle and lock



March 12, 1963 3,080,743

R. F. STANSBERRY DOOR HANDLE .AND LOCK Filed June 29, 1959 42/ Io so/ n l L\ M lo 24 54?76 44 \4o\4s ze 32/ 7 s2 FIGB INVEN TOR.

ROBERT F. STANSBERRY WML ATTORNEY United States Patent() 3,080,743 DUUR HANDLE AND LOCK Robert F. Stansberry, 17165 Buckingham, Birmingham, Mich. Filed June 29, 1959, Ser. No. 823,521 6 Claims. (Cl. 70-208) This invention relates to door handle and lock installations in general, and more particularly to a recessed door handle and lock combination.

The present invention is shown and described as used with garage door installations. However, it will be appreciated in the course of discussion that innumerable other applications of the teachings and principals are possible.

In garage door installations it is desirable that the door handle and lock be made as a single unit. rI`his appreciably simplies installationV and reduces costs in regard thereto and it also provides a more compact and easily operated unit for the ultimate user.

Most of the available handle and lock combination units for garage door use are of the type that is required to be mounted on the face of the garage door and consequentlyprotrude outwardly therefrom. On overhead opening garage doors this protruding handle requires special consideration as regards the size of the door opening, the location of the door guiding tracks, and any overhead ceiling provided within the garage. For example, a garage ceiling may have to be raised three or four inches more than is necessary merely to accommodate a protruding garage door handle and lock member.

It is an object of this invention to disclose a recessed handle and lock combination for garage door and other uses.

It is also an object of this invention to disclose a recessed handle and lock combination for garage door or other use which is simple in construction, compact in assembly, and relatively inexpensive to manufacture, assemble and install.

Another object of this invention is to disclose a combination handle and lock' installation including a linger grip handle member and an adjacently located thumb operated locking member providing a squeezetype unit.

Still another object of this invention is to disclose a squeeze type handle and lock unit, thumb operated or otherwise, wherein the key operated locking member may be provided within the relatively movable part thereof.

A further object of this invention is to disclose a handle and lock assembly wherein the freedom of movement accorded the l locking member is limited by limit stop means, rather .than by any conventionally known interlock arrangement, to obtain a locking action.

Still furtheramong the objects of this invention is to disclose a recessed handle and lock assembly comprising a minimum number of parts, each of relatively simple construction, compactly and intercooperatively arranged for simplicity of assembly, and of sturdy and durable construction for long serviceable life.

These and other objects and advantages will be further appreciated upon a reading of the following specification in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

FIGURE l is a front plan view of a garage door installation having the handle and lock unit of this invention shown therewith.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged front plan view of the recessed handle and lock member of this invention with certain parts that are not visible shown in dotted lines.

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view of the recessed handle and lock member of this invention as seen in the o 3,080,143 Patented Mar. 12, 1953 ICC plane of line III- III of FIGURE 2, looking in the direction of the arrows. The garage door and means of attachment thereto is also shown.

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG- URE 3, except that it is only a partial view of the handle and lock member and shows the thumb operated member in a different operative position.

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional end view of the handle and lock member as seen in the plane of line 5--5 of FIGURE 4, looking in the direction of the arrows thereon.

Referring to the drawing in further detail:

FIGURE l shows a garage door 10 mounted within the door frame 12 of a garage 14. The garage door is of the overhead opening type and includes a handle and lock device 16 recessed within the front face thereof. The handle and lock device 16 is adapted to operate cables i8 which are connected thereto and to a draw bolt type of locking member 20. The draw bolt type locking members 2t) are mounted on the garage door 10 and are disposed for locking engagement with the door frame 12.

The handle and lock device 16 is shown in greater detail by FIGURE 2. It includes a housing part 22 which is formed to serve as a recessed member when mounted in the garage door 10. The front face of the housing or part 22 is open and is peripherally bounded by a flange 24. A handle member 26 is provided within the recessed member 22 near one end thereof. It is engaged to the end wall of the housing part 22 and to a supporting wall 28 secured across the opening and between the ends thereof. The latch operating part 30 is pivotally mounted within the member 22 near the other end thereof and closely adjacent to the handle supporting wall 28.

As shown by FIGURE 3, the housing member 22 is' received Within an opening 32 cut or preformed within the garage door it). The peripheral flange 24 engages the outer face of the door and a suitable bracket or other fastener means 34 is used to hold the housing securely engaged to the inner face thereof.

The handle member 26 is extended horizontally between the housing end wall and the supporting wall 28. It is spaced from the back wall 36 of the housing part and thereby provides a finger grip handle arrangement.

The handle supporting wall 28 is channel shaped and is open towards the pivotally mounted latch operating member Sti. Its inner llange 38 is secured to the housing wall 36 by tack welding or otherwise to hold the supporting wall member in a vertical position. Its outer ilange 40 is disposed substantially within the plane of the peripheral housing ange 24.

The latch operating member 30 is formed to include a side wall 42, a front wall 44, and a baclcwall 46. This provides a general channel shape which is open towards the channel sectioned handle supporting wall 28 and results in an enclosed space 48 therebetween.

Ear tabs 5t) are formed from the side wall 42 of the latch operating member 30, at the top and bottom edges thereof, and near the back wall 46, to receive a pivot pin 52 therethrough. The pivot pin member 52 extends through the top and bottom walls of the housing part Z2 as Well, to hold the latch operating member pivotally mounted therein.

The side and front walls 42 and 44 of the latch operating member 3l) are formed to include a thumb tab or flange part 54 at their intersection. The thumb tab iiange extends diagonally outward from the front corner of the latch operating member Sti.

The front wall 44 of the latch operating member 30 is disposed in overlapped relation to the outer flange 40 of the handle supporting wall 28. Within the front wall 'j 44 is mounted a key operated cylinder lock 56. Only the face of the lock tumbler is exposed, and the rest of the mechanism is Within the shielded protection of the enclosed space 48.

v The back wall 46 of the latch operating member 30 is formed to include an operator pawl or tab 58 which extends through an opening 60 formed in the back Wall 36 of the housing member 22. The pawl 58 is formed at an outwardly inclined angle substantially radially aligned with the pivotal axis provided by the pivot pin member 52.

` A door lock operating lever 62 is pivotally mounted, intermediate its ends, on the back side of the housing back wall 36. A stud 64 is provided on the back of the housing to serve as a pivotal axis for the lever 62. It may be threaded and engaged with a nut 66 welded within the enclosure space 48, or retained by any other means. A washer 68 spaces the lever from the back wall 36 of the housing part. The ends of the lever 62 have the operating cables 1S for locks 20 connected thereto.

A bent wire rod link 70 connects the lever 62 to the operator pawl 58 of the latch operating member 30. This connection is olf center of the pivotal axis of the lever. Accordingly, pivotal movement of the latch operating member 30 results in linear movement of the wire rod member 70 via the pawl 5S, and causes pivotal movement of the lever 62 which in turn retracts the draw bolt locks 20 by means of the cables 18.

The garage door cannot be opened until the draw bolt locks 20 are retracted, and this in turn depends upon pivotal movement of the'latch operating member 30. To prevent such freedom of pivotal movement as regards the latch operatingmember 30, the lock cylinder 36 is provided with a key operated locking pawl 72. When this pawl is positioned for interference with the end of the lever supporting stud 64, exposed within the enclosure space 48, the stud acts as a limit stop 74 to prevent the necessary pivotal movement of the latch operating member.

The cylinder lock 56 is held in shouldered engagement with the front wall 44 of the latch operating member by a fastener 76. The cylinder lock is formed for keyed engagement with wall 44 to prevent rotation of the tumbler housing. The locking pawl 72 is selectively rotatable to engage or avoid engagement with the stop 74 by use of the lock operating key.

In use, the disclosed handle and lock device 16 operates as follows:

The handle part 26 provides a finger grip for anyone desiring to open the garage door 10. At the same time the persons thumb is readily engaged with the thumb tab flange 54 of the latch operating part 30. By squeezing the thumb tab 54 towards the handle part, the latch operating member 30 may be pivotally moved if the locking pawl 72 is positioned to avoid interference with the limit stop 74. This in turn rotates the lever 62, via link 70, draws on the cables 18, and retracts the locking bolts 20. Thereafter, an upward lift on the door handle 26 opens the door 10 in the usual manner.

If the locking pawl 72 is positioned to engage the stop 74, the latch operating member 30 cannot be moved inwardly. At the same time, it cannot be rotated outwardly due to the stop engagement of its back wall 46 with the back wall 36 of the facia member. Alternatively, the overlapping interference of the wall ange 40, supporting the handle part, may be used as a limit stop against outward rotation. Thus the enclosure space 48 within which the locking mechanism is disposed, is also adequately protected from tampering.

It will be appreciated that the disclosed form of garage door handle and lock device 16 may be made for right or left hand use,'or use with ones palm up or down, simply by installing the housing member 22 as described, or upside down. Likewise, the leverage advantage obtained, due to the Width or length of certain parts, may be altered within the teachings of this invention.

It is also foreseeable that other improvements and,

modifications are possible within the teachings herein set forth. Accordingly, all such improvements and modifications covered by the hereinafter appended claims, and not specifically excluded thereby, are considered as within the purview of this invention.

I claim:

l. A door handle and lock combination, comprising; a recessed member having a finger grip handle provided therein and near one end thereof, a thumb operated latch operating member pivotally mounted within said recessed member near the other end thereof, said latch operating member and handle being cooperatively formed to provide an enclosed space therebetween, and selectively positionable means provided on said locking member and disposed within said enclosure for preventing door unlocking pivotal actuation of said locking member.

2. A door handle and lock combination, comprising; a recessed member having a handle member provided in fixed relation therein, a latch operating member pivotally mounted and operable within said recessed member near said handle, said latch operating member and handle' being cooperatively formed to provide an enclosed space therebetween, limit stop means provided within said enclosed space and engageable by said latch operating member for preventing pivotal movement thereof, and rotatably positionable means provided on said latch operating member for selectively avoiding engagement with said limit stop means and enabling door unlocking pivotal actuation thereof.

3. A door handle vand lock combination, comprising;y

ayrecessed member having a handle member received in fixed relation therein, a latch operating member pivotally mounted within said recessed member near said handle, and operable substantially wholly therewithin said latch operating member and handle being cooperatively formed to provide an enclosed space therebetween, said handle overlapping said latch operating member in part to prevent enclosure opening pivotal movement thereof, stop means provided within said enclosure for engagement by said latch operating member to prevent pivotal movep ment in the other direction, and selectively rotatable means provided on said latch operating member for avoiding engagement with said stop means and enabling door unlocking pivotal actuation thereof.

4. A recessed door handle installation, comprising; a recessed member having a finger grip handle mounted in fixed relation thereinand disposed near one end thereof, a handle supporting ilanged wall provided within and across said recessed member between the `ends thereof,

a ythumb pull latch operating member pivotally mounted and operable within said recessed member near the other end thereof, said latch operating member and said flanged wall being formed and disposed to provide an enclosed space therebetween, said recessed member having a back wall and operator pawl provided on said latch operating member and extended through the back wall of said recessed member, a `door lock operator pivotally mounted on theback side of the back wall of said recessed member and operatively connected to said operator pawl, a

cylinder lock mounted on said latch operating member tion; said latch operating member being pivotally ac-` tuable upon the rotation of said locking pawl, via said 75 locking cylinder, from engagement with said limit stop and for movement of said operator pawl and of said door lock operator connected thereto.

5. A door handle and lock combination, comprising; a linger grip member and a thumb operated member having the linger and thumb engaged parts thereof disposed in substantially the same plane of reference, means pivotally supporting said thumb operated member for movement about an axis normal to said finger grip member and for movement of the thumb engaged part towards said nger grip member, said thumb operated member being formed to include a latch operating pawl on the backside thereof and a shielded space therewithin, selectively rotatable means mounted on said thumb operated member and disposed Within the protection of said shielded space, and a suitably disposed stop engageable by said selectively rotatable means for preventing pivotal movement of said thumb operated member and actuation of said latch operating pawl.

6. A ush type door lock, comprising: a recessed pan member mountable within a surface opening provided in a door, said recessed member having a back Wall spaced from the front face thereof and enclosing side walls, a latch operating member provided within said recessed member near and spaced from one end thereof, said latch operating member being pvotally mounted near said back wall and supported between said enclosing side walls, a finger grip handle member mounted Within said recessed member near the other end thereof in fixed spaced relation to said back wall and between said latch operating member supporting side Walls, a transverse handle supporting member provided between said latch supporting side walls and including a front iiange extending towards said latch operating member, said latch operating member being formed to include side and front walls providing an enclosed space in combination with said handle supporting member and front tiange thereof, a lock tumbler mounted on the front face of said latch operating member and disposed within said enclosed space, an operator pawl provided on said latch operating member and extended through the back wall of said recessed member from within said enclosed space, a stop member provided near the back wall of said recessed member within said enclosed space and disposed for selective engagement by said lock tumbler to preclude pivotal operation of said latch operating member, and said latch operating member being pivotally operable substantially wholly within said recessed member and towards said fixed handle member upon simultaneous inger grip engagement of said handle and thumb pull operating engagement of said latch operating member.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,754,889 Halinka Apr. 15, 1930 2,006,129 Craft lune 25, 1935 2,055,688 Halinka Sept. 2,9, 1936 2,605,630 Keeler Aug. 5, 1952 2,642,300 Pelcin June 16, 1953 2,862,749 -Burkard Dec. 2, 1958 2,916,905 Podlesak Dec. 15, 1959 2,946,640 Sitler July 2,6, 196() 2,987,908 Pelcin Jan. 13, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 234,749 Switzerland Mar. 16, 1945 

1. A DOOR HANDLE AND LOCK COMBINATION, COMPRISING; A RECESSED MEMBER HAVING A FINGER GRIP HANDLE PROVIDED THEREIN AND NEAR ONE END THEREOF, A THUMB OPERATED LATCH OPERATING MEMBER PIVOTALLY MOUNTED WITHIN SAID RECESSED MEMBER NEAR THE OTHER END THEREOF, SAID LATCH OPERATING MEMBER AND HANDLE BEING COOPERATIVELY FORMED TO PROVIDE AN ENCLOSED SPACE THEREBETWEEN, AND SELECTIVELY POSITIONABLE MEANS PROVIDED ON SAID LOCKING MEMBER AND DISPOSED WITHIN SAID ENCLOSURE FOR PREVENTING DOOR UNLOCKING PIVOTAL ACTUATION OF SAID LOCKING MEMBER. 